My heart feels as if it might explode from my chest, a feeling I hadn’t known in some time. Looking around the room, I notice my brother’s watching me carefully. They’re concern etched deeply in their eyes.
Zero stands in the kitchen, stiff and unfeeling. King stands nearby talking him to, I’m sure trying to piece together Alice’s last moments but uncontrollable rage surges through me and I see red.
How can he stand there so calm when he is the reason she’s gone? I think before charging him, throwing my body into his. He crumbles to the ground without a fight. I straddle him, my fists make contact. He doesn’t react, doesn’t fight back, he just lies there taking everything I give him. King and Dizzy are pull me off of him but I fight against their hold, wanting to finish the punishment he deserves.
“This is your fault,” I rage and King holds me tighter. Zero pulls himself up and hangs his head in shame. He should feel shame, he fucked up. She’d be here right now if he had followed orders and done his job. “I trusted you to keep her safe. What were you thinking?”
“Hudson,” King hisses, his concern is with Zero not me, which pisses me off even more. “He knows he fucked up man, calm down.”
“Get the fuck off of me King,” I stop struggling, my anger turning to him now. “Don’t tell me to calm down. You’re just as guilty as he is. I trusted you to make sure they did their job, to make sure she was protected. You knew he was out there, you knew…”
“Hudson,” my sister’s voice cuts me off. I turn my head to see her walk through the door. Her face is swollen and red with tears. The sight of her makes me forget my anger and I cross the room to take her in my arms. Her tear streaked face against my chest and she sobs violently against me.
“Someone please tell me we have something,” I feel tired, drained even. The fear I felt since the moment King called has taken a toll on my body and my mind. I can’t surrender to it though, not until she’s back and safe in my arms again.
“We’re working on a few leads Hudson,” Charlie’s husky voice breaks the silence as he enters through the back door. “Sneaks going over everything right now, if there’s something, he’ll find it.”
I nod, fighting down the rising fear again. She’s only been gone four hours and four hours was a big head start, especially for a man who lived like a ghost. They could be anywhere by now.
“Hudson, I hate to ask you this but the note,” King approaches me cautiously, stopping a foot away. “Will it help us?”
I place my cheek on the top of my sister’s head, closing my eyes I shake my head. “We don’t have a lot of time. Where’s Jeanette?”
“Charlie took her to Missy’s place until we get everything sorted,” Dizzy explained. “I can see where Alice gets her stubbornness, the woman did not want to leave but Bear stepped in and he can be quite convincing when he needs to be.”
“Good,” I rub Missy’s back. She’s calmed down, listening in on the conversation. I’m not sure if she should hear what I have to say about the note. “Missy, do you want one of the boys to take you to her?”
“No,” she nods, burrowing deeper into my chest. “I want to hear this, please.”
King’s eyes meet my mine and he gives a nod. No one wants to upset Missy anymore than I but I know how much she cares for Alice and hearing this is going to shock her. Not just Missy though, it was going to shock everyone.
“The note,” I begin, keeping my voice monotone and my emotions muted. “It’s a taunt meant to turn me off of her.”
“What do you mean?” King frowns.
“Alice was his cash cow,” I explain, ripping the Band-Aid away. The room is silent everyone’s eyes are on me, including Missy, who has stepped away from me. “He kept her locked away and only letting her out when…”
“Wait, wait,” Dizzy holds up his hand, stopping me. “You mean he…”
“Sold her body,” I finish taking in a deep breath. My chest burns, I’d forgotten to breathe.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Dizzy’s face is ashen, his voice filled with disbelief.
“I’m not,” I run my hand through my hair. “He held her captive for five years. She only escaped because he fucked up one night and forgot to lock her in.”
“So, the whole no speaking thing…”
“Conditioning,” I finish his sentence again. “He tortured her until she broke.”
“That’s sick,” Dizzy exclaims.